In wireless networking, a roaming user device (frequently referred to herein as a “roaming client”) often transitions between wireless access points (APs) on one or more wireless networks.
As used herein, a “network” is a group of two or more components interconnected by one or more segments of transmission media over which communications may be exchanged between the components. Each segment may be any of a plurality of types of transmission media, including one or more electrical or optical wires or cables made of metal and/or optical fiber, air (e.g., using wireless transmission over carrier waves) or any combination of these transmission media. As used herein, “plurality” means two or more. It should be appreciated that a network may be as simple as two components connected by a single wire, bus, wireless connection, or other type of segment. Further, it should be appreciated that when a network is illustrated in a drawing of this application as being connected to an element in the drawing, the connected element itself is considered part of the network.
As used herein, a “network device” is a device operative to communicate on a network, including, but not limited to: workstations, personal computers, terminals, laptop computers, end stations, user devices, servers, gateways, registers, switches, routers, hubs, bridges, directories, transmitters, receivers, transceivers, wireless access points (APs), repeaters, and any combinations thereof. As used herein, a “user device” is a network device from/to which a user may send/receive communications, and which may serve as an endpoint to communications on a communications network. User devices include, but are not limited to: workstations; personal computers (e.g., PCs); laptop computers, notebook computers; telephones (e.g., landline or mobile); pagers; Blackberry™ brand devices, PCS devices, personal digital assistants (PDAs), two-way radios (e.g., “walkie-talkies”), other types of user devices, and any suitable combination of the foregoing.
A network (e.g., any of networks 104, 106 and 108 described below) may be or include any of a variety of types of networks including, but not limited to, a local area network (LAN), a metropolitan area network (MAN), a wide-area network (WAN), a wireless network, a Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN), a Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) network, a General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) network, a Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) network, a Code-Division Multiple Access (CDMA) network, an optical network, a data network, an enterprise-wide network, a wireless personal area network (PAN), a home network, a telecommunications network, a public switched telephone network (PSTN), a broadband network, another type of network, or any suitable combination of the foregoing.
As used herein, a “wireless communications network” or “wireless network” is a communications network including a plurality of network resources that enable wireless communications between two or more of the plurality of network resources, including network devices and in particular, user devices. When the roaming client transitions, control of a connection between the roaming client and network resources must be handed off from one AP to another AP.
Handing off between APs involves terminating a connection between the roaming client and the current AP that provides the roaming device connectivity to network resources, and establishing a new connection between the roaming client and a new AP (i.e., the “target” AP) to maintain connectivity between the roaming client and network resources.
A roaming client typically experiences a connectivity loss during the handing off process between APs, for example, when IEEE 802.11 technology is employed. Accordingly, the roaming client typically stops transmitting and receiving data, and queues data traffic until connectivity is reestablished by establishing the connection with the target AP. Applications that require real-time wireless communication may experience “jitters” during this transition, as the roaming client terminates its connection with the old AP and establishes a new connection with the target AP.